A Niagara County state assemblyman announced Tuesday he is changing his party affiliation. John Ceretto is switching from the Republican to the Democratic conference.Ceretto, speaking Tuesday morning in Niagara Falls, said the majority Democrats are more in line with the issues facing Western New Yorkers.
"This move to this conference is how I can help this district the most. It's not about me, it's about the people I serve," said Ceretto.
Ceretto, who was elected in 2010, says over the years, he has found that his values are more in line with the Democratic conference than the minority GOP. The 150-seat Assembly now has 104 Democrats and 43 Republicans, along with three open seats.
Ceretto's district includes Niagara Falls, Grand Island and parts of North Tonawanda. He said he is taking $9,000 pay cut by switching parties.
Ceretto split with most of his fellow Republicans in the Assembly when he supported bills to raise the minimum wage and extend paid family leave.
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie issued a statement Tuesday welcoming Ceretto into the conference.
"I am excited that Assemblyman Ceretto will be bringing his views and experiences as a lifelong resident of Western New York to the Majority Conference. So many of his values are in step with our core issues, including improving education, ensuring equal pay for equal work, raising the minimum wage, and ensuring access to quality health care. Assemblyman Ceretto will be a great addition to our already diverse conference and I look forward to working with him to help move our state forward," Heastie said.
Republicans are blasting Ceretto's decision, including Erie County GOP Chairman Nick Langworthy, who said Ceretto "sold out to the highest bidder."
"John Ceretto was always an unremarkable, simple legislator, but now he gets to be a tool of the corrupt New York City Assembly majority," Langworthy said, in a scathing news release.
The 150-seat Assembly now has 104 Democrats and 43 Republicans, plus three open seats.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
